editorNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Sarah McCammon worked for Iowa Public Radio as Morning Edition Host from January 2010 until December 2013.NPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Sarah McCammonFri, 26 Jan 2018 17:35:59 +0000Sarah McCammonhttp://hppr.org
Sarah McCammonCopyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.Planned Parenthood's President Stepping Downhttp://hppr.org/post/planned-parenthoods-president-stepping-down
87480 as http://hppr.orgFri, 26 Jan 2018 16:09:00 +0000Planned Parenthood's President Stepping DownSarah McCammonUpdated at 10:35 a.m. ET Cecile Richards, the longtime president of Planned Parenthood, will step down later this year, the organization announced on Friday. "Planned Parenthood has been a trusted resource in this country for more than a century, and I will be leaving the organization well-positioned to serve and fight for our patients for a century more," Richards said in a statement. "Every day we see the incredible power that grassroots voices can have — there has never been a better moment to be an activist. You can bet I'll be marching right alongside them, continuing to travel around the country advocating for the basic rights and health care that all people deserve." Planned Parenthood will announce its future plans after the board of directors meets next week, the organization says. For more than a decade, Richards has held down a tough job as the group's most high-profile spokeswoman. She's been called upon repeatedly to defend the reproductive rights organization's work,After Years In the Trenches, Planned Parenthood's Cecile Richards Will Step Downhttp://hppr.org/post/after-years-trenches-planned-parenthoods-cecile-richards-will-step-down
87476 as http://hppr.orgFri, 26 Jan 2018 15:13:00 +0000After Years In the Trenches, Planned Parenthood's Cecile Richards Will Step DownSarah McCammonhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycMAMyk9ES4 Updated at 1:05 p.m. ET Anti-abortion-rights activists who gathered at the National Mall for the 45th annual rally known as the March for Life heard a history-making address from the man who has become an unlikely champion of their cause: President Trump. Trump said he was "honored" and "proud" to be addressing the march. "The March for Life," he said, "is a movement born out of love. You love your families, you love your neighbors, you love our nation and you love every child — born and unborn — because you believe every life is sacred, that every child is a precious gift from God." He praised marchers for offering friendship, mentorship and "life itself" to women in need of support. "Because of you, tens of thousands of Americans have been born and reached their full God-given potential. Because of you," he said. Trump also told the crowd that "Americans are more and more pro-life, you see that all the time." In fact, 18 percent of'You Love Every Child': President Trump Addresses March For Lifehttp://hppr.org/post/trump-unlikely-champion-anti-abortion-rights-movement-address-march-life
87115 as http://hppr.orgFri, 19 Jan 2018 09:53:00 +0000'You Love Every Child': President Trump Addresses March For LifeSarah McCammonAt a secluded retreat center outside Austin, about a dozen, mostly middle-aged women are gathered in a quiet conference room. Some huddle under blankets to ward off the chill from an unusual Texas cold spell. This session's topic: guilt and shame. "Does anybody feel like they're still dealing with, like, shame? Like, feeling bad about yourself as a person, because of what you've done in the clinics?" Abby Johnson asks the women seated in a circle of chairs around her. The room is mostly silent. But as the weekend goes on and the participants get more comfortable, they begin to cry and pray together, and to share their stories. This is a retreat for women who used to work in health centers that perform abortions and now feel conflicted about that work. Johnson, 37, is the CEO and founder of the Texas-based anti-abortion group And Then There Were None . (She says when she came up with the name, she didn't really think about the Agatha Christie mystery by the same title.) Most antiThe Anti-Abortion Group That's Urging Clinic Workers to Quit Their Jobshttp://hppr.org/post/anti-abortion-group-thats-urging-clinic-workers-quit-their-jobs
86800 as http://hppr.orgThu, 11 Jan 2018 18:34:00 +0000The Anti-Abortion Group That's Urging Clinic Workers to Quit Their JobsSarah McCammonVirginia Republican David Yancey is the winner of a tie-breaking drawing for a House of Delegates seat, a result that appears to allow Republicans to barely hang on to control of the chamber. Each candidate's name was placed in a film canister; those were then placed into a bowl and one name was drawn. It's the latest chapter in an unusual and drawn-out process to decide a winner in House District 94 in Newport News. After a December recount, the Democratic candidate, Shelly Simonds, was initially declared the winner by just one vote . That result appeared to wrest control of the chamber away from Republicans, who'd gone into November with nearly a two-thirds majority in the House of Delegates. That majority was all but swept away in a Democratic wave that boosted the party up and down the ballot. But then, after another ballot was re-examined and counted for Yancey, the Republican incumbent, the race was declared a tie. Each candidate was determined to have 11,607 votes , according toVirginia Republican David Yancey Wins Tie-Breaking Drawinghttp://hppr.org/post/virginia-republican-david-yancey-wins-tie-breaking-drawing
86482 as http://hppr.orgThu, 04 Jan 2018 16:28:00 +0000Virginia Republican David Yancey Wins Tie-Breaking DrawingSarah McCammonAttacks on the press are a hallmark of President Trump's style, and he has avoided much of the media, often preferring Twitter to sit-down interviews with journalists. But a religious TV network has scored interviews with Trump and members of his administration this year, surpassing more prominent networks and news organizations in its access to the administration. The Christian Broadcasting Network, or CBN, is best known for The 700 Club — a Christian talk show that has been on the air for decades. It's hosted by the controversial televangelist, one-time Republican presidential candidate and CBN founder Pat Robertson from the company's headquarters on the campus of Regent University in Virginia Beach, Va. After the deadly mass shooting in Las Vegas in October, Robertson cited a Bible verse warning that wickedness will lead to "violence and strife." He then made a connection between violence in the U.S. and what he described as a lack of respect for authority, including a "profoundTrump Scorns Mainstream News, But Not The Christian Broadcasting Network http://hppr.org/post/trump-scorns-mainstream-news-not-christian-broadcasting-network
86254 as http://hppr.orgFri, 29 Dec 2017 10:44:00 +0000Trump Scorns Mainstream News, But Not The Christian Broadcasting Network Sarah McCammonIn Norfolk,Va., the YWCA South Hampton Roads's crisis counselors have been answering calls on a 24-hour hotline that serves the region in southeast Virginia. They help victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, and related types of abuse find shelter, counseling, and other services. "[We're hearing from] people who were recently sexually assaulted, people just wanting to process a harassment issue, or people who experienced it a long time ago and were maybe triggered from the recent social media stuff," says Nicole Nordan, the counseling program director. Nordan says calls normally slow down around the holidays and in the colder months, but not this year. As more victims of sexual harassment and assault continue to come forward in the wake of the "Me Too" movement , organizations like the YWCA and rape crisis groups that provide support to survivors are finding themselves unusually busy. They are feeling the ripple effects of the recent wave of allegations against high-profile menIn The Wake Of #MeToo, More Victims Seek Help For Repressed Traumahttp://hppr.org/post/wake-metoo-more-victims-seek-help-repressed-trauma
86181 as http://hppr.orgWed, 27 Dec 2017 17:14:00 +0000In The Wake Of #MeToo, More Victims Seek Help For Repressed TraumaSarah McCammonWhen a pregnant woman finds out that she's likely to give birth to a baby with Down syndrome, she's often given the option to terminate the pregnancy. But families affected by the genetic disorder, which causes developmental delays, are conflicted over whether such abortions should be legal. Ohio could soon become the latest state to restrict abortions based on a Down syndrome diagnosis. A bill that would make it a felony for doctors to perform abortions after a Down syndrome diagnosis is moving through the state legislature and could be ready for Gov. John Kasich's signature as soon as this week. "He's still worthy of a life" The mothers in this story have a lot in common. Both live in Ohio. They're a few years apart in age, both work in the medical field, and each has a child with Down syndrome. Kelly Kuhns, 36, lives with her husband and their three children outside Columbus. The youngest, 2-year-old Oliver, was born with Down syndrome. Kuhns, who works as a labor and delivery nurseDown Syndrome Families Divided Over Abortion Banhttp://hppr.org/post/down-syndrome-families-divided-over-abortion-ban
85599 as http://hppr.orgWed, 13 Dec 2017 10:04:00 +0000Down Syndrome Families Divided Over Abortion BanSarah McCammonCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST: Two close races in Virginia's elections earlier this month are now certified. At stake was control of the state's House of Delegates, and it was declared today that both of those races were won by Republicans. It is a bittersweet victory for the GOP after the surprisingly strong showing Democrats had on November 7. NPR's Sarah McCammon joins us now to talk about this. And Sarah, why have those vote counts been so contentious? SARAH MCCAMMON, BYLINE: Well, the big reason is that control of the Virginia House of Delegates is at stake here. So these two races are in adjoining districts, and state election officials have said that at least 147 people in that area voted in the wrong House of Delegates race. It's not totally clear what went wrong, but some voters were assigned to the wrong districts. And to make matters worse, Robert, the local registrar in the area in question died earlier this year, so she's unable to explain the3 Weeks After Election, It's Unclear Who Will Control Virginia House Of Delegateshttp://hppr.org/post/three-weeks-after-election-its-still-unclear-who-will-control-virginia-house-delegates
84914 as http://hppr.orgMon, 27 Nov 2017 21:38:00 +00003 Weeks After Election, It's Unclear Who Will Control Virginia House Of DelegatesSarah McCammonEvery love story must have an ending. For Isabell and Preble Staver, the end came quietly last month, after more than seven decades of marriage. The Stavers, who died in Norfolk on Oct. 25, were two of the hundreds of World War II veterans who are dying each day in the United States. Isabell Whitney and Preble Staver met on a blind date while they were both studying in Philadelphia. A romance blossomed, their daughter Laurie Staver Clinton said, but was interrupted by the war. Her mother was a Navy nurse and her father was in the U.S. Marine Corps. They married soon after the war ended and started a family with children — five in total. Staver Clinton describes her father Preble, a Bronze Star recipient, as a tall, outgoing man with a strong, "larger than life" personality. She describes her mother as "my heart." "She taught me how to be a kind person, how to be a compassionate person," she says. Isabell spent years raising the couple's five children before eventually returning to workSeparated First By War, Then Sickness, 2 WWII Veterans Are Laid To Rest Togetherhttp://hppr.org/post/separated-first-war-then-sickness-2-wwii-veterans-are-laid-rest-together
84295 as http://hppr.orgMon, 13 Nov 2017 10:00:00 +0000Separated First By War, Then Sickness, 2 WWII Veterans Are Laid To Rest TogetherSarah McCammonCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit KELLY MCEVERS, HOST: One year after the election of Donald Trump, Democrats are having a moment in an off-year election. The party won races around the country, including in Virginia where Democrats made a surprisingly strong showing up and down the ballot. NPR's Sarah McCammon reports from Richmond, where Democrat Ralph Northam is now Virginia's governor-elect. SARAH MCCAMMON, BYLINE: Ralph Northam has been telling Virginia voters for weeks that a vote for him is a vote against bigotry and divisive politics. As he celebrated his win last night, the pediatric neurologist thanked his Democratic supporters. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) RALPH NORTHAM: And I'm here to let you know that the doctor is in. (CHEERING) MCCAMMON: In Virginia, Democrats aggressively recruited for down-ballot races. They turned out voters in key areas like the Washington, D.C., suburbs. And they made history by electing a transgender woman and even a self-proclaimedDemocrats Made Surprisingly Strong Showing Up And Down The Ballot In Virginiahttp://hppr.org/post/democrats-made-surprisingly-strong-showing-and-down-ballot-virginia
84152 as http://hppr.orgWed, 08 Nov 2017 21:30:00 +0000Democrats Made Surprisingly Strong Showing Up And Down The Ballot In VirginiaSarah McCammonCopyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit RACHEL MARTIN, HOST: Collectively speaking, the Democrats haven't had a good day in a very long time. Yesterday, though, they finally came out on top. DAVID GREENE, HOST: Yeah, Democrats took two important governor's races. Phil Murphy won in New Jersey, and Ralph Northam won in Virginia. And that race in Virginia got a lot of national attention. It was seen as sort of a test of President Trump's support, with Northam's campaign working to tie his opponent to Trump at each and every opportunity. Last night after his victory, Northam told reporters that the eyes of the country were on Virginia and that Virginians had spoken. (SOUNDBITE OF PRESS CONFERENCE) RALPH NORTHAM: Virginia has told us to end the divisiveness, that we will not condone hatred and bigotry and to end the politics that have torn this country apart. MARTIN: All right, so what does this contest say about the Democrats and the Republicans and their strategies moving forward? NPR'sNews Brief: Democrats Win In Virginia And New Jersey, Examining The Texas Shooter's Pasthttp://hppr.org/post/news-brief-democrats-win-virginia-and-new-jersey-examining-texas-shooters-past
84126 as http://hppr.orgWed, 08 Nov 2017 10:41:00 +0000News Brief: Democrats Win In Virginia And New Jersey, Examining The Texas Shooter's PastSarah McCammonCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit RACHEL MARTIN, HOST: Tomorrow is Election Day. It's an off year, so there aren't a whole lot of contests. The highest profile one, though, is in Virginia where the governor's mansion is up for grabs. Democrat Ralph Northam and Republican Ed Gillespie are in a close race. NPR's Sarah McCammon has been covering it, and she joins us now from Virginia Beach. Hey, Sarah. SARAH MCCAMMON, BYLINE: Hi, Rachel. R. MARTIN: What's going on in Virginia? Set up the race for us. MCCAMMON: Yeah. Well, the race here is seen as a bellwether quite often. And while that might be a little bit overplayed - in part because Virginia is right next to D.C., so the national media pay attention - there is some merit to that. For example, Virginia's been a swing state in recent years, tends to elect governors from the opposite party of the sitting president. So it'll be interesting to see if that pattern continues. There are some good signs for Democrats. The state'sIn Off-Year Election, Virginia's Race For Governor Is High-Profilehttp://hppr.org/post/year-election-virginias-race-governor-high-profile
84023 as http://hppr.orgMon, 06 Nov 2017 09:53:00 +0000In Off-Year Election, Virginia's Race For Governor Is High-ProfileSarah McCammonAn evangelical Christian writer and pastor says he's been banned from the Liberty University campus for criticizing President Jerry Falwell, Jr., a longtime ally of President Donald Trump. The writer, Jonathan Martin , said in a Twitter thread that he was on the campus of Liberty, a private Christian college in Lynchburg, Va., Monday night for a concert by the duo Johnnyswim when he was escorted away by armed campus police. Martin said he was photographed and told by Liberty police that he'd be "immediately arrested if I ever stepped foot on @LibertyU property again." On Twitter and his blog, Martin has been a frequent critic of Falwell and Trump, particularly Falwell's "alignment" with Steve Bannon and the movement known as the alt-right , which includes white nationalist and white supremacist groups. In a lengthy statement, Liberty University said the university welcomes "peaceful debate," and that Martin was removed because officials believed he intended to hold an unauthorizedChristian Writer Banned From Liberty University Campus After Criticizing Trump Allyhttp://hppr.org/post/christian-writer-banned-liberty-university-campus-after-criticizing-trump-ally
83787 as http://hppr.orgTue, 31 Oct 2017 18:20:00 +0000Christian Writer Banned From Liberty University Campus After Criticizing Trump AllySarah McCammonA federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., has ruled in favor of a teenager who is in the country illegally and seeking an abortion. The 17-year-old is from Central America and has been blocked by the Trump administration from leaving the facility where she is being held so she can obtain the procedure. In a concurring opinion, Judge Patricia Millett of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit writes that the teenager has satisfied all the requirements under Texas law to obtain an abortion. She also says, "The government has bulldozed over constitutional lines" in its argument that the girl should leave the country voluntarily if she wants an abortion. Because she is an unaccompanied minor, the girl is under the control of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Refugee Resettlement. In late September, the girl obtained permission from a judge to bypass the Texas parental consent law. But administration officials have not allowed her to leave the privatelyD.C. Appeals Court Rules For Teen Seeking Abortion While In U.S. Illegallyhttp://hppr.org/post/dc-appeals-court-rules-teen-seeking-abortion-while-us-illegally
83493 as http://hppr.orgTue, 24 Oct 2017 22:13:00 +0000D.C. Appeals Court Rules For Teen Seeking Abortion While In U.S. IllegallySarah McCammonIn a case that pits the Trump administration against a 17-year-old Mexican girl in the U.S. illegally, a panel of federal judges said Friday that she has a right to an abortion — but she's not being allowed to get the procedure yet. Copyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit ARI SHAPIRO, HOST: A 17-year-old girl who's in the country illegally may be a step closer to getting the abortion she has been seeking for weeks. She's in federal custody in Texas, and the Trump administration has been blocking the young woman from getting an abortion. Today, a panel of federal judges says she has a right to the procedure, but she is not being allowed to get it just yet. NPR's Sarah McCammon attended a hearing today in Washington and has an update. SARAH MCCAMMON, BYLINE: This morning, as a three-judge panel prepared to consider the case, protesters chanted outside the federal Department of Health and Human Services Building a few blocks away. (SOUNDBITE OF PROTEST) UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTERS: (ChantingCase Considers Unaccompanied Minor's Right To Have An Abortionhttp://hppr.org/post/legal-case-weighs-whether-mexican-girl-us-illegally-should-have-access-abortion
83363 as http://hppr.orgFri, 20 Oct 2017 20:49:00 +0000Case Considers Unaccompanied Minor's Right To Have An AbortionSarah McCammonState legislative races don't usually draw a lot of national attention – but Virginia's House District 13 race is: it pits a Republican incumbent known for unsuccessfully sponsoring a so-called " bathroom bill " against a transgender woman. If she succeeds in unseating Delegate Bob Marshall , Democrat Danica Roem would be the country's first openly transgender state lawmaker. Roem's background may set her apart as a political candidate, but her message to voters in this district, in the outer Washington, D.C. suburbs, is pretty standard for a local politician. She's focusing on bread-and-butter "quality of life" issues, she says, like roads funding, schools, and water infrastructure. Roem argues she's uniquely informed about local issues and prepared to problem-solve because of her years working as a newspaper reporter in the region. "I've dedicated my professional career to vetting information...and then reporting the truth as it is, not what other people hope it should be," she said.Virginia Statehouse Race Pits 'Bathroom Bill' Author Against Transgender Womanhttp://hppr.org/post/virginia-statehouse-race-pits-bathroom-bill-author-against-transgender-woman
83342 as http://hppr.orgFri, 20 Oct 2017 09:01:00 +0000Virginia Statehouse Race Pits 'Bathroom Bill' Author Against Transgender WomanSarah McCammonCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST: Lawmakers around the country have debated so-called bathroom bills which prohibit transgender people from using restrooms that match their gender identity. The author of one such bill in Virginia is up for re-election, and his opponent is a transgender woman. NPR's Sarah McCammon reports that if she succeeds, she would be the country's first openly transgender state lawmaker. SARAH MCCAMMON, BYLINE: Danica Roem's message to voters is pretty standard for a local politician. DANICA ROEM: I am running this race because I am here to fix your local infrastructure problems. MCCAMMON: As she pounded the podium at a local Democratic Party meeting, Roem ticked off a list of challenges facing voters in House District 13 in the outer Washington, D.C., suburbs. Roem is focusing on bread-and-butter concerns like funding for roads and other infrastructure, something she says she's uniquely informed about because of her years working asVirginia Democrat Could Make History As First Transgender State Lawmakerhttp://hppr.org/post/virginia-democrat-could-make-history-first-transgender-state-lawmaker
83277 as http://hppr.orgWed, 18 Oct 2017 20:49:00 +0000Virginia Democrat Could Make History As First Transgender State LawmakerSarah McCammonThe news of Harvey Weinstein's expulsion from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences over the weekend is prompting victims to share their own experiences of sexual harassment and assault. The academy ousted the powerful Hollywood producer over multiple abuse allegations, prompting social media users around the world to proclaim a simple idea: that sexual abuse is a common experience in women's lives. The tweets and other social media posts — mostly from women, but also other survivors — describe a culture of silence around sexual assault. Others condense traumatic moments into 140 characters. Miranda Yaver of New Haven, Conn., said she began talking more about her assault in the wake of the Access Hollywood video released just before Donald Trump was elected President last year, in which he can be heard bragging about touching women's genitals without consent. "I think that when you see more and more powerful people in Hollywood and business, etc, coming out and saying thatIn The Wake Of Harvey Weinstein Scandal, Women Say #MeToohttp://hppr.org/post/wake-harvey-weinstein-scandal-women-say-metoo
83177 as http://hppr.orgMon, 16 Oct 2017 22:31:00 +0000In The Wake Of Harvey Weinstein Scandal, Women Say #MeTooSarah McCammonMarkie Henderson is grateful that her brother and sister got out of the Route 91 country music festival in Las Vegas alive. They were separated in the rush to escape the shooting, she says, but unlike hundreds of others, both got out physically unharmed. Henderson wonders what could motivate someone to fire into a crowd of people. "For the families that were affected, I'd want to know what happened to my brother or sister if it was one of them, for sure," she said. More than a week after a shooter took the lives of 58 people in Las Vegas, investigators are still without a motive. Experts say it's important to find one to give those affected closure and to prevent similar attacks in the future. Henderson, who lives in Las Vegas, came to the opening of a memorial garden built quickly last week by volunteers in of honor of the 58 people who were killed. Precy May Lawson, also from Las Vegas, came with handmade ornaments honoring each victim to place on a wall of remembrance at the park.Why Finding A Motive After The Las Vegas Shooting Mattershttp://hppr.org/post/why-finding-motive-after-las-vegas-shooting-matters
82892 as http://hppr.orgTue, 10 Oct 2017 16:36:00 +0000Why Finding A Motive After The Las Vegas Shooting Matters